Math & ELA Options by Grade

Striving Students are working at grade level but may need some accommodation within the lesson. This could be a child showing signs of ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, dysgraphia, auditory processing, or other diagnosis. It could also be an undiagnosed child who benefits from interactive instruction, eye contact, discussions, and generally requires extra time for reading aloud, comprehension, or handwriting. Math instruction with written practice and review is helpful. 

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For the early elementary years (K through 2), the blend of Saxon Phonics & Spelling, Math with Confidence, and Handwriting Without Tears delivers straightforward, parent-friendly lesson plans that establish firm basics in mathematics, reading, spelling, and penmanship. Each program supplies an assortment of supportive materials featuring hands-on manipulatives, visual aids, and auditory exercises. Feel free to select whichever resources best suit your needs to strengthen skills. You can customize practice to match your child’s pace and abilities. A student may progress sequentially through all three levels or join at the appropriate grade and thrive.

Schedule: Plan to teach these subjects daily, five days a week.

We’re sticking with Math with Confidence for third grade—it remains a reliable, approachable option for students who need steady support and parents who appreciate ease of use. You can lean into the full lessons and games for extra reinforcement or condense them for a child who grasps concepts quickly. From Phonics to Reading by Sadlier serves as an effective bridge to fluent reading, with its warm, colorful lessons guided by a helpful teacher manual. Handwriting Without Tears advances into cursive instruction. We’ve also included sets of Decodable Readers (fiction and nonfiction) to boost reading fluency and comprehension—incorporate as much daily reading as your student can handle comfortably.

Schedule: All core programs plus dedicated reading practice, 5 days per week.

Math with Confidence continues as our math selection in fourth grade—a dependable, parent-accessible program well-suited for learners who benefit from consistent pacing. In language arts, Structure and Style Level A1 from IEW introduces composition skills through clear video lessons and their structured templates, offering excellent support for both student and parent. We’ve paired it with Fix It! Grammar Level 1 (also IEW) for grammar reinforcement. Spelling shifts to Spelling You See Level C: Wild Tales, which emphasizes visual letter patterns and color-coded chunking—ideal for visual learners. Handwriting Without Tears progresses to the next cursive level. For literature, we selected two beloved novels along with Memoria Press Literature Guides (student and parent editions) to foster reading comprehension, literary elements, and guided discussion.

Schedule: Math, Spelling, and Handwriting 5 days/week; Composition 4–5 days/week; Grammar 1–2 days/week; Each novel + guide ≈ 4–6 weeks.

In fifth grade, we keep Math with Confidence going strong—it’s a solid, user-friendly choice that works especially well for students who thrive with clear, supportive instruction. For ELA, Structure and Style Level A2 from IEW advances composition with video-based teaching and their proven template system. We’ve added Fix It! Grammar Level 2 (IEW) for continued grammar work. Spelling moves to Spelling You See Level D: Americana, relying on visual letter patterns and color-coded chunking to aid retention. Handwriting Without Tears further refines cursive skills. Literature instruction comes from Ready Readers: Children’s Literature Volume 1, which explores comprehension, literary devices, and themes across five timeless children’s classics.

Schedule: Math and Spelling 5 days/week; Composition 4–5 days/week; Handwriting 3–4 days/week; Grammar 1–2 days/week; Literature 3–4 days/week.

Math with Confidence concludes with Grade 6 (releasing summer 2026)—still a strong, parent-friendly program tailored for learners who benefit from steady, encouraging lessons. In ELA, Structure and Style Level B1 from IEW delivers composition training via video instruction and their structured writing templates. We include Fix It! Grammar Level 3 (IEW) for grammar support. Spelling continues with Spelling You See Level E: American Spirit, using visual letter patterns and color-coded chunking to support visual learners. Handwriting Without Tears keeps building cursive proficiency. For literature, Ready Readers: Elementary Literature Volume 2 guides students through comprehension, literary devices, and themes in five classic stories.

Schedule: Math and Spelling 5 days/week; Composition 4–5 days/week; Handwriting 2–3 days/week; Grammar 1–2 days/week; Literature 3–4 days/week.

For seventh grade math, we’ve selected a single-volume Pre-Algebra course called Understanding Pre-Algebra I by The Critical Thinking Company. It’s concise, conversational, and easy for both parent and student to follow. The book also comes complete with answers in the back. For language arts, Structure and Style Level B2 from IEW provides structured composition lessons with video support. This level bundles Fix It! Grammar Level 4 for grammar instruction. Spelling advances to Spelling You See Level F: Ancient Achievements, featuring letter patterns and color-coded chunking that benefit visual learners. Literature becomes flexible: choose 3–4 novels from the provided list, each paired with a Literature Guide for comprehension, vocabulary, and analysis. Aim for roughly one novel per quarter.

Schedule: Math and Spelling 5 days/week; Composition 4–5 days/week; Grammar 1–2 days/week; Literature 2–4 days/week (each novel + guide ≈ 4–6 weeks).

Choose 3-5 titles from these Novel/Literature Guide sets:

For eighth grade, we suggest The Critical Thinking Company's single-book Algebra program called Understanding Algebra 1. It is streamlined, conversational, and parent-student friendly, with answers provided in the back for easy reference. For ELA, Structure and Style Level B3 from IEW offers advanced composition guidance through video lessons and their template-based approach. We’ve added Fix It! Grammar Level 5 for deeper grammar work. Spelling continues with Spelling You See Level G: Modern Milestones, which uses visual letter patterns and color-coded chunking to aid learning. Literature remains customizable: select 3–4 novels from the suggested list, each with a Literature Guide to support comprehension, vocabulary, and literary discussion. Plan for about one per quarter.

Schedule: Math and Spelling 5 days/week; Composition 4–5 days/week; Grammar 1–2 days/week; Literature 2–4 days/week (each novel + guide ≈ 4–6 weeks).

Choose 3-5 titles from these Novel/Literature Guide sets: